1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to leveling devices for floors and the like, and more particularly to wedge-type leveling devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the construction industry, it is often desirable, if not necessary, for a construction to be level. The home construction industry in particular requires a level construction both for the safety and for the comfort of the occupants. The leveling process usually involves a trial and error method where the structure is lifted while the height of the support means is increased or decreased. The structure is checked to determine if level, and the sequence is repeated until the structure is level. Such processes are both tedious and time consuming.
Witte's U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,961 discloses a leveling and locating device wherein horizontal movement of a tapered wedge device causes vertical movement of a force-bearing structure.
Jensen's U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,335 discloses a blocking-up wedge for leveling joists and the like wherein at least one wedge surface is provided with a relatively great friction profiled formation such that slipping and lateral shifting of the wedges is controlled or prevented.
Mieyal's U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,219 discloses an adjustable pedestal for elevated floors wherein a wedge is horizontally displaceable to elevate a carrier element of the assembly to the desired elevation. Self-locking means maintain the wedge and carrier elements in their select positions.
Gobel's U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,987 discloses a bearing for supporting roof components above roof ceilings. Support bodies of wedge-like configuration rests upon corresponding support surfaces of a base body. Each support body is movable upwardly on its support surface but is prevented from moving downwards in the opposite direction.
Jonell et al's U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,643 discloses pairs of rubber wedges which are adjustable to different thicknesses. The wedges are located between the slabs and beams of building structures and held in place by an adhesive such that slabs are held in coplanar relation irrespective of differences in the level of the beams and slabs.
Babcock's U.S. Pat. No. 2,943,716 discloses a building construction wherein supporting columns within the building may be easily relocated. The construction includes a pair of wedge shaped base plates which can be used to raise or lower the column.
Wilkin's U.S. Pat. No. 2,819,037 discloses a leveling device consisting of two wedge-like bodies which are moved relative to one another by an adjusting screw so as to raise or lower a structure.
Bosco's U.S. Pat. No. 1,570,226 discloses an adjustable shore with a channel member receiving a post at its top and bottom ends. Rough height adjustment is made by mounting the top post in the channel member on a pin at a depth selected such that the channel and post combination approximates the desired shore height. Fine height adjustment is accomplished by driving a pair of coacting wedges through a slot in the channel member and against the bottom post so as to raise the channel member relative to the bottom post.